Spring fastening device.



I J. SCHADE, JR.

SPRING FASTENING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED DEC.!3,1906- RENEWED MAR.13.1913.

Patented Dec. 12, 1916.

In vemor:

JOHN SCI-IADE, JR., OF NEW YORK, N. 51., ASSIGNOR. T0 FAHNESTOCKELECTRIC COMPANY, A. CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

SPRING FASTENING DEVICE.

Patented Dec. 12, ffiiilti.

Application filed December 13, 1906, Serial No. 347,577. Renewed March13, 1913. Serial No. 754,128.-

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN Sermon, J r., a

citizen of the United States, and resident of the borough of Brooklyn,county of Kings, city and State of New York, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Spring Fastening Devices, of which thefollowing is a specification, accompanied by drawings.

This invention relates to spring terminal clips or fastening devices forthe terminals of electrical conductors, and the objects of the inventionare to enable the conductor to be firmly gripped and clamped in definedposition, permit the ready insertion and removal of the conductor, andinsure good electrical contact at all times between the conductor andthe fastening device.

llhis application is a continuation in part of my copending applicationNo. 257,9 18, filed April 28, 1905, which application resulted in U. S.Patent Reissue No. 12,642,

granted April 23, 1907.

Further objects of the invention will hereinafter appear, and to theseends the invention consists of a fastening device for carrying out theabove objects embodying the features of construction, combinations ofelements and arrangement of parts having the general mode of operationsubstantially as hereinafter fully described and claimed in thisspecification; and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure1 is a perspective view of a fastening device embodying the inventionand provided with a hooked resistant member; Fig. 2 is a perspectiveview of a double form of theinaention; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of adevice like Fig. 1, but requiring but one screw or other device tosecure it to the base; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one half of thedouble fastening device shown in Fig. 2 and requiring but one screw orother device to secure it to the base; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of adevice like Fig. 4, constructed out of wire having an angular crosssection as for instance rectangular wire; Fig. 6 is a modification ofFig. 4; Fig. 7 is a modification of the spring fastening device, inwhich the spring member passes between the portions which form theresistant member; Fig. 8 is a detail side view of'the metal at one ofthe bends of my improved fastening device; Fig. 9 is an inside plan viewof the metal at the bend showing the flattening of the wire. l

My improved fastening device is prefer ably made from asingle piece ofresilient material, as for instance metallic wire, although I am not tobe understood as limiting the invention to this particular form ofmaterial, for other forms of resilient metal may be found suitable forcarrying out the invention. Obviously the device may be made out of asingle piece of material, or it may be made out of several pieces ifdesired, and I am not to be understood, as limiting the invention to afastening device comprised of a single piece of wire.

The fastening device comprises broadly two opposing normally separatedmembers, and a retaining resistant portion of suitable shape projectingtoward the opposite mem her and adapted to co-act therewith to firmlyclamp a conductor in defined position when said members are forced intooperative relationship.

In order to construct two opposing normally separated members, the pieceof wire, if the device is made from one piece, is bent upon itself tobring one member opposite the other and the two legs may be termed thebody member. Both of these legs A are adapted to be secured to a base orsupport I in any suitable manner as by means of 'the screws J passingthrough holes provided therefor by bends of the wire.

In Fig. 1. the construction is such that two screws .l are adapted to beused, while in Fig. 3 the construction is such that but one screw isnecessary. The body member is thus lixed stationary upon thcbase orsupport I, while the opposing member com prising the legs B is adaptedto be forced out of its normal position toward the body member, fromwhich it tends to separate under the retractive force of the spring.thus enabling a conductor K to be firmly gripped and clamped in definedposition between the spring member B and the stationary resistant orretaining.portion'comprising the hooked shaped members (3' shown inFigs. 1 and 3 as extending upwardly from the legs A. comprising the bodymember. The retaining portion Cof the body members forms a stationaryresistant member,

and these hooks are so constructed and shaped that a conductor is heldtherein and firmly gripped in defined position in such manner that itcannot be easily withdrawn in a transverse direction while under theinfluence of the pressure of the spring. Furthermore the hooked ends ofthe resistant members C are so shaped 'as to provide a good electricalcontact for. the conductor. I have found that a substantially V-shapedretaining portion C, forming the resistant member fulfils the objectsought when combined with the other cooperating elements of my improvedfastening device. I mean by a V-shaped portion,a part having divergingsides and having the general conformation of a V'so that a conductor ofsuitable size when inserted in the angle of the V' will make contact atat least two tangential points in the-V The wire, as shown is looped onitself to form a spring at D and one-end E: of the spring member is bentin the reverse direction to the loop D toform with the bend of the loopan angular retaining portion. Preferably, if round wire is used to makethe fastening device,

it'should be flattened on the inside surface of the bends which form theretaining portions of the wire, thereby increasing the area of contactbetween the fastening device and the electric conductor. In Figs. 8 and9 this flattening of the wire is illustrzited, showing-that theinteriorsurface F of the bend is flattened, while the exterior surface G isrounded.

In Fig. 5 the fastening device formed of wire having rectangular crosssection is shown, in this instance the wire being substantially squarein'cross section. By this means the object of increasing the area ofcontact is accomplished Without previously flattening the wire. sincesaid wire has fiat I surfaces already. .Preferably, the angles at thebends of the retaining portions for the wire are less than a right angleor approach as nearly as possible to an acute angle, and this acuteangleform of the retaining portions may be obtained by flattening thewire as indicated in Figs. Sand 9, thus making the angles in which thewire is gripped substantially acuteangles. The other conducting wire L,which completes the circuit may be-suitably secured in electricalcontact with the screw J as by means ofthe binding nuts 0. e As shown,the apexof the. angle of the resistant member or members C projectsupwardly from the body member. A toward the spring member and is adaptedto co-act with said spring member to clamp a conductor in definedposition therein when said members are' .forced into operativerelationship.-

In Fig 2, a double or compound form of the devic is shown, in which thebody memher A is not provided with a separate resistant member C, butthe body member itself is meager? bent upwardly to form the resistantmember or members t" formed out of the length of the legs A. Theseangular resistant members project upwardly toward the spring member Band are adapted to hold and clamp a conductor as in Fig. .l. The singlepiece of wire is so bent and twisted together that fastening devices areprovided opposite each other at each end of the body member A, whilesaid body member formed of twisted wire is provided with loops A andadapted to lie upon and be secured to the base I as by means of thescrews J. One of these screws is preferably provided with binding nuts 0to enable the conducting wire L to be attached thereto and complete thecircuit.

In Fig. 4, one half only of the double device shown in Fig. 2 isillustrated, and in this form the ends of the legs A are bent around toform loops H, through which the screw J may pass.

In Fig. 6 a modification of the device is shown in which both legs A ofthe body member are bent at an angle to the general direction of thebody member and adapted to be secured to the side of any supportdesired. If desired, the ends of the le s A may be bent around into theform of oops H .in order to enable the device to besecured to thesupport.

In Fig. 7 the spring member 13, as shown, passes between the resistantmembers C instead of inclosing them as in the other figures.

I do" not herein claim the combination of a dry. battery and a springfastening device having a portion of the body member-bent to form anattaching leg, as this invention was made the subject matter of aseparate application, Ser. No. 576,872, filed August 12, 1910, whichapplication resulted in United States Patent No. 985,288, grantedJanuary 27, 1911. Nor do I herein specifically claim a fastening devicefor electrical conductors formed of bent sprin wire and having at itssecuring end rings orming an eye, as this invention was made the subjectmatter of a separate application, Ser. No. 680,498, filed February 28,1912, which application resulted in United States Patent' No. 1,047,897,granted December 17, 1912. Furthermore, I do not herein claim that formof spring clip provided with a broadened foot, in which form there is abody member and a spring member, one of which is provided with anangular resistant portion, as that form of the invention has een madethe subject matter of a separate application. Nor do I herein claim anyform of spring fastening device having in combination attaching meansand conductor engaging means, because such subject matter has beenclaimed in a separate application.

moaar? I claim and desire to obtain by Letters Patent the following:

1. A fastening device for electrical conductors, formed of bent springWire provided with retaining portions, and having fiat contact surfacesinside the bends of said retaining portions for the conductor.

2. A fastening device for electrical conductors comprising a piece ofresilient metallic Wire, having a body member, a spring member and aresistant member, said spring member and resistant member being bent toform retaining portions for the conductor, and the Wire being flattenedat the inside surface of said bends forming contact portions for theconductor.

3. A fastening device for electrical conductors comprising a piece ofresilient metallic wire, having a body member, a spring member and aresistant member, said spring member and resistant member being bent toform retaining portions for the conductor, the wire having flat contactsurfaces inside the bends of the said retaining portions.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

JOHN SCHADE, JR.

' Vitnesses:

CHARLES D. BRANDT, ERNEST B. FAHNEsTocK.

